Soy Chemicals Market Trends

Growth Drivers

• EU's sustainable chemicals initiative: The European chemicals agency (ECHA) has published new risk classes for endocrine disruptors and viscous substances according to EU criteria. Such measures are intended to recognize and reduce the risks of long-lived chemicals in the environment. Adoption of these rules incentivizes the chemical industry to transition to safer and more renewable options, such as soy-based chemicals, compatible with today´s sustainability objectives and regulatory requirements.

• Innovations in chemical production: Progress in chemical production technologies, including the design of greener catalysts and upgraded extraction procedures, can upgrade efficiency and reduce the cost of soy-based chemicals production. For example, by introducing advanced catalysis, production efficiency has increased by 21%, yielding major economic and environmental benefits. These changes are promoting demand for soy-based chemicals as a natural replacement for petrochemical products.

1. Producers and Operational Benchmarking

Improving operational and manufacturing capabilities is crucial for sustaining competitiveness in the global soy chemicals market. It is essential to consider the additional cost of the investment, which is likely to be on the profitable side. A global operational network is critical, as exemplified by a company such as BASF, with more than 390 production sites around the world. This deep network allows for efficient manufacturing, delivery, and market-side response. For example, BASF's global operations enable the Company to capitalize on regional strengths, optimize operations, and to serve wide ranging customer requirements. The table below presents the top 10 global soy chemicals producers, detailing their production capacities, geographic locations, and market shares. It also includes a comprehensive analysis of production volumes and growth trends over the past five years.

Top 10 Global Soy Chemicals Producers

Soy Chemicals Production Data Analysis

2. Price Trends and Market Dynamics in Soy Chemicals

The soy chemicals market has seen fluctuating prices over the last five years, with changes driven by a myriad of inputs. Ethylene prices in Asia rose 16% in 2021 due to supply chain disruptions. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine in 2022 increased European ammonia prices by 31% because of gas supply shortages. These occurrences highlight the possible influence of geopolitical factors and supply chain dynamics on the pricing of soy chemicals.  The table below summarizes the price history and unit sales volumes of soy chemicals from 2018 to 2023, highlighting regional price trends and annual sales fluctuations across key markets. It provides a clear view of market dynamics influencing pricing and demand over the five years.

Price History and Unit Sales Volumes (2018–2023)

3. Composition and Financial Performance of Japan’s Soy Chemicals Industry

Soy chemicals Over 75% of Japan’s soy chemicals production is consumed in the country, where applications are varied, including petrochemicals (50% of shipments in 2002 by value totaling ¥13 trillion), polymers, and specialty chemicals, as well as use in electronics and automotive (WBO, 2005). Deliveries to the automotive sector were up 9% a year on average between 2018 and 2023, more than the world. Big players such as Mitsubishi Chemical spent ¥ 170 billion on R&D in 2022, when a sustainability focus kicked in. Shin-Etsu Chemical announced a profit increase of 13% for the year 2023, reaching ¥1.3 trillion. The tables below present detailed data on Japan's soy chemicals shipments by category (2018–2022) and the value of chemical shipments by manufacturing industry (2018–2023). They also highlight R&D investments and capital expenditures by leading Japanese chemical companies (2021–2022), alongside financial performance metrics of the top 30 firms in 2023.

Japan Soy Chemicals Shipments by Category (2018–2022)

Value of Chemical Shipments by Manufacturing Industry (2018–2023)

R&D and Capital Investment by Top Japanese Chemical Companies (2021–2022)

Financial Performance of Top 30 Japanese Chemical Companies (2023)

Challenges

• Pricing pressures and volatility: Soy chemicals are very sensitive to raw material cost, with much of the market driven by soybeans and their prices. Barber‐Wullschleger stated that soybean prices are subject to fluctuations with seasonal agricultural conditions and trade regulations. While trade costs stayed relatively reasonable between 2010 and 2020, a 13% increase in soybean tariffs was reported by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2022, adding cost pressures to speculative costs across the world. Any fluctuations in pricing complicate pricing models and negatively impact margins for soy-related suppliers, limiting their ability to compete.
• Environmental compliance costs: Environmental compliance costs are disproportionately higher than material costs in some key markets. The tightening of environmental regulations by the EPA in the U.S. has imposed significant compliance costs on operating. The national air quality and water quality standards have for small U.S. producers in the chemical are imposed significant operating costs and compliance costs (as much as 21% higher expenses) in 2023, increasing cost pressures and having the effect of stopping company expansion and the startup of innovative products. While BASF established new standards in using cleaner production technologies with about $200 million investment and addressed compliance with new regulations imposed by the EU, their compliance with legitimate improvement had a positive effect on their sales. In 2023, BASF had an increase in market share of 16%.